Cutting tooth grooves in an element to form teeth of a toothed element such as a cog wheel, wherein an element includes splines, etc., requires specifically designed and shaped cutting tools to cut flanks of the teeth and to reach a bottom root between the teeth.
Various methods for cutting tooth grooves are known. One method, referred to as power skiving uses a rotating cutting tool and a rotating workpiece. Inside as well as outside teeth may be cut by power skiving. The rotation of the cutting tool is synchronised with the rotation of the workpiece as the cutting tool is feed in cutting engagement with the workpiece in an axial direction of the workpiece. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,001 discloses a solid power skiving tool which may be reground to ensure sharp cutting edges.
The use of replaceable cutting inserts in a power skiving tool is known. In one known power skiving tool cutting inserts of a rhombus shape are used, such as cutting inserts of VBMT type commonly used in turning tools.